Menner, Joshua David (2025) The influence of spatial distance of environmental degradation on ecological grief – An experimental vignette study. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
More and more people feel grief in response to the loss of cherished ecosystems, species, and landscapes. Although ecological loss occurs globally, emotional reactions might vary depending on the spatial distance of these losses. This experimental vignette study investigated whether the spatial distance of ecological loss influences ecological grief. Participants (N = 256) experienced ecological loss through a fictional news article describing either local or remote loss. We compared participants’ ecological grief levels with those of a passive control group. We hypothesized that experiencing ecological loss would lead to heightened reported grief levels, with highest levels among participants who experienced local ecological loss. In addition, we assessed participants’ general spatial distance perceptions of ecological loss and their climate sorrow levels. Contrary to expectations, participants across conditions reported similar levels of ecological grief. However, participants who perceived ecological loss as occurring locally reported higher ecological grief levels. These findings suggest that while a brief, indirect experience of ecological loss might be insufficient to elicit grief responses, ecological grief and spatial distance are related. Future research should therefore explore this relationship further using more emotionally engaging experimental methods.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Sharpe, E.J. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Environmental Psychology (EP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jul 2025 09:18 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jul 2025 09:18 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5729 |
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